Components of Debt, Obligations, Weighted Average Interest Rate and Additional Fair Value Information Relating to Outstanding Debt Instruments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable	$ 10,196	$ 12,771
Short-term borrowing		10,000
Total notes payable and short-term borrowing	10,196	22,771
Total long-term debt, current and non-current	35,838	23,336
Current portion of long-term debt	24,563	2,445
Long-term debt, net of current portion	11,005	20,891
Total long-term debt, net of unaccreted discount	35,568	23,336
Bank Borrowings [Member] | Comerica Bank [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, carrying amount	$ 23,800	$ 17,500
Long-term Debt Weighted Average Interest Rate	2.95%	3.16%
Bank Borrowings [Member] | Mitsubishi Bank [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, carrying amount	$ 12,038
Long-term Debt Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.53%
Short Term Borrowing [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term Debt Weighted Average Interest Rate		3.18%
NeoPhotonics Semiconductor [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, carrying amount		$ 5,836
Long-term Debt Weighted Average Interest Rate		1.50%
Long-Term Debt Current [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unaccreted discount within long-term debt, net of current portion	$ (72)
Long-Term Debt Non-Current [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unaccreted discount within long-term debt, net of current portion	$ (198)